Babies Born in England but More Argentine Than Dulce de Leche

What’s Happening on Wednesday?

This Wednesday is not just another World Cup match. The Argentine national team (nicknamed “La Scaloneta”) will try to beat England to earn a spot in the final on next Sunday, July 19.

Even though the Argentine players clearly want to become two-time champions (win the tournament again), many of them have mixed feelings:

Important Point: The rival country—England—is the very same place where some of these players’ children were born.

The List: Argentine Footballers’ Kids Born in England

We made a list of the children of Argentine footballers who were born in England but are “more criollo (Argentine) than dulce de leche” (a sweet, funny way to say super Argentine).

Santino and Ava Martínez

• They are the kids of Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez (the goalkeeper) and his wife Mandinha.
• Because Dibu has played soccer in Britain for a long time, their kids are English by birth.
• Santino, the older child, was born in 2018.
• Ava was born in a London hospital in June 2021.
• Ava’s birth was very emotional for the team: she was born during the Copa América tournament.
• Lionel Messi, in his speech before the final, said the goalkeeper couldn’t “hug her” (make upa) because he was with the Argentine team.

Benjamín Fernández

• Enzo Fernández has two kids with different stories.
• His older daughter, Olivia, was born in Argentina in 2020.
• His younger son, Benjamín, was born in England at the end of 2023, after the family moved to London.
• His mom, Valentina Cervantes, shares funny English habits Benjamín picks up.
• Valentina explained a silly family rule during the Argentine chant “el que no salta es un inglés” (“whoever doesn’t jump is English”):
  • “Benja was born there, so we don’t let him jump either.”
  • Olivia (born in Argentina) says “It’s where I live” and defends her home.
• Valentina said England is where they built much of their family life since Enzo joined the Premier League (England’s top soccer league).

Alaia Mac Allister

• Alaia is the first daughter of midfielder Alexis Mac Allister and Ailén Cova.
• She was born in September 2025 in England, while Alexis was a star at Liverpool.
• Alexis’s mom, Silvina Riela, said she stays seated and quiet when Argentine fans sing against the British—because her granddaughter is formally English.

Lucy Romero

• Lucy is the second daughter of “Cuti” Romero and Karen Cavaller (they already had Valentino).
• She was born in a London clinic in late November 2024.
• Cuti was recovering from an injury at the time, strengthening the family’s bond with London.

Summary

This Wednesday, Argentina plays England for a World Cup final spot. Some Argentine players have babies born in England—Santino and Ava Martínez, Benjamín Fernández, Alaia Mac Allister, and Lucy Romero. Even though those kids are English by birthplace, their families feel deeply Argentine. The players’ loved ones shared cute stories about this double connection, showing soccer is more than just a game.

FAQ

1. Why are these kids called “more Argentine than dulce de leche”?
It’s a playful saying meaning they are super Argentine in family and heart, even if born in England.

2. Which Argentine players have kids born in England?
Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, and “Cuti” Romero.

3. What is the “el que no salta es un inglés” chant?
It’s a fan song meaning “whoever doesn’t jump is English,” used by Argentine fans; one mom joked her England-born son isn’t allowed to jump either.

4. When is the Argentina vs. England match?
This Wednesday, with the final scheduled for Sunday, July 19.